The Babysitter
by imaginationisbetterthanlogic
Summary: Set sometime in the future, Kate and Rick get a young babysitter... Let's see where this story leads us! (All chapter now spell-checked)
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** I do not own anything here.

Kate was in the precinct at her desk trying to do some paperwork and failing miserably.

Her eyes felt heavy and all she wanted to do was to get back to the loft and sleep all day. She thought of it and hummed. It would be so good to have an actual night of sleep. She hadn't gotten one of those since the last babysitter quitted. Telling that there was no way someone could take care of her kid alone, that she needed at least five people to take care of him.

For god's sake! He was four. In theory, he couldn't be that bad but he was.

If her kid's father seemed like a nine year old on a sugar rush sometimes, then her kid seemed to be permanently on a sugar rush.

It was really exhausting and it was getting stupid the large number of babysitters that had quit. The kid was four and had already been able to get ten babysitters at the edge of a breakdown. He sure enough was Castle's son.

Her eyes felt heavier by the minute. God, she needed to find a babysitter. Fast!

"Hey, Beckett!" Ryan called startling her "Little boy is wearing you out? Didn't you have a babysitter or something so you could actually get some sleep?"

"Yup. She quit. Something about having a breakdown and jelly down her shirt. I don't know. The kid is like a hurricane destroying everything that he touches."

"You want me to borrow you my babysitter?" he offered kindly, like just Ryan could.

"What? You don't need her to take care of Jake?"

"No, Jake is going to school soon and my nephew his going to come live with us. He's old enough to look after Jake. And this babysitter is really amazing. The only one who could calm Jake down when he decided to throw a tantrum and besides I think Castle is going to like her." Ryan gave her a smile. She was, just so tired that everything was fair game.

"Okay. Give me her number."

"No need. I'll call her. You just go home and rest. You need it. Oh, and I think you'll need a open mind towards this girl. Just don't judge her right away. She's a really great kid."

Kate felt a little confused by his statement, but she was so tired that she decided to follow his advice and get some rest.

"Okay, then call me and see if she can stop by the loft."

"Okay. Bye Beckett."

Beckett grabbed her stuff and went towards the elevator and out of the precinct. Hopefully towards a comfy bed and lots of sleep.

Kate opened the door to the loft and looked around. The place seemed quiet, what made her uneasy, because since Nathan was born there hadn't been many quiet moments.

Oh, God! Maybe the kid had fell off the stairs and broke his head and now they were at the hospital and- and-

She started to panic. If something had happened to her son, she was going to murder someone.

"Castle!" she shouted. She filled her lungs with air ready to shout again, but was stopped by Castle's big hand covering her mouth.

"Shhh" he whispered at her ear almost desperately. "I managed to put him asleep."

"You knocked him out. Did you use chloroform?" Kate asked suspiciously.

"No. I'm a miracle maker." Kate gave him a little smirk.

"You certainly are." she kissed him. At first it was a chaste kissed, but she hadn't seen him all day. She deepened the kiss and felt him smiling against her mouth.

"Welcome home Mrs. Castle." Castle whispered at her ear with a low, husky voice. Oh, Kate knew exactly where this was heading. "Now, I'm gonna take you to my room and we're going to have..." he left a trailed of wet kisses down her neck. He made his way back up and to her mouth. Kate's hands had already gone to his hair, pulling him to her "a good night..." he suddenly stop his wondering mouth and gave her a kiss on the nose "of sleep."

She looked slightly disappointed and he laughed at her. And then in a quick move he lifted her off the ground bridal style and carried her to his room.

"We're both way to tired for what you have on your mind missy." he told her, amusement filling his voice.

"Ryan said that he knows this babysitter that's supposed to be really good. He said he's gonna give her a call and if she's as good as he made her out to be, we'll have plenty of time for what's going on my mind." she gave him a mischievous smile and kissed his neck "Although, I'm not sure if you can handle what I'm planning to do to you." he kissed her fiercely.

"Bring it on, detective." he laid her in bed and then crashed beside her. They both fell asleep sooner than they usually did. Rick with one hand draped over her stomach.

**A/N:** Shortly short! Just a thing to set this story. Next chapter will be larger. I promise. Till then, tell me what your thoughts are on this...


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer:** Well I'm not seeing any secret lair on by bedroom and I'm not receiving any check in the mail, so nope. I don't own Castle.

**A/N:** All mistakes, typos and weird sentences are mine, only mine and exclusively mine and I'm truly sorry for them.

Kate got to the lobby of the loft and immediately sensed that something was wrong. She looked around trying to figure out what was it.

She heard the elevator ding and saw Castle looking around with a desperate face. He got out and started looking around with such concentration that he didn't even saw her.

Wait. If Castle was here, where was Nathan?

"Castle!" she called out. His face turned to look at her, and she could see it. The panic in his eyes.

Oh, god. No. No, no, no. This wasn't happening right now.

Kate felt something inside of her twist. She felt sick.

Where the hell was her little boy?!

"Castle..." this time her voice wasn't so strong. She was afraid.

Castle sensed her fear and walked towards her, hugging her tight against him.

"It's okay. Everything is gonna be alright."

She pushed him away and looked him in the eye.

"What happened?" she asked, almost afraid of the answer.

"I went to the kitchen to prepare him a snack and when I turned around the front door was open and I couldn't find him." Kate got a sinking feeling of panic down in her stomach. She just had to breath and calm down. She would find him. They would find him and it was going to be alright.

"We're wasting time! You take the top floors and I'll see down here, the pool and the gym. Go!" she was using her cop voice now. The authority and barely contained panic appearing.

Castle nodded and took the elevator up. Kate took a deep breath to calm herself and keep the tears from spilling. She had to hold on and find her son. She wouldn't lose him.

The doorman was behind his desk with all the security camera's monitors, looking at her with a worried look.

"Mars. Have you seen Nathan?"

"Yes m'am. I saw him for a minute. He was in the elevator. He didn't got out. He just pressed all the buttons and got out in one of the floors."

"You saw in which floor he got out?"

"No m'am. I didn't."

"Thank you Mars." she turned on her heels and started towards the elevator. Before she pressed the button she got an idea and turned around again. "Mars. If you see my son in the vigilance cameras, please call me." the elevator dinged announcing its arrival and Kate got in.

"Yes, m'am."

They had been looking for half a hour, now. Thirty minutes that felt like eternity without knowing where their son was. Being a cop and a writer the worst case scenarios were running wild trough Castle and Kate's minds.

They met on their floor, after finishing looking trough the entire building. Kate was on tears and Castle was an inch away of having a panic attack.

"Really?! Wow. And you fought the dragons all by yourself?" they heard from near their door. The voice was foreign. Neither of them knew who that voice belonged to.

"Yes. With daddy's sword." But that voice they both knew by heart. It was Nathan's voice. They both rushed to the place where the voices came from.

"You're really brave. I'm impressed. You're like a knight in a shiny armor."

They heard Nathan giggling.

Castle and Beckett stopped to absorb the sight. A girl was sitting on the floor with their son and seemed totally caught up with the story that Nathan was telling her.

The girl looked up and saw them, then she looked at Nathan and smiled.

"Hey Nathan, look who I found." she said pointing at them.

Nathan turned his little head and saw both his parents standing there with very upset faces. He got to his feet and rushed to them, hugging their legs.

"Mommy, daddy. Look!" he pointed at the girl that was slowly getting to her feet "I found my new sitter!"

Kate blinked away the tears and scooted Nathan up.

"Nathan Alexander Castle, what did I told you about leaving the loft without mommy or daddy with you. Don't do that ever again. Do you hear me?!" Kate admonished, hugging her son close to her chest.

"Sorry mommy."

"Okay- It's- just don't do that ever again."

Castle was shaking. The kid was okay. He was okay. It had been like Alexis in the mall all over again. It was terrifying. Right now the only thing he wanted to do was to sit with his little boy in his lap and breath. He ran a hand trough his hair, breathing deeply.

"What's your name?" he heard Kate ask the girl.

"Lyra. And you must be Nathan's mother. Detective Beckett." the girl turned to Castle "And you're Mr. Castle, I suppose. The writer." she gave them a smile. "Pleasure to meet you both. You have a son with a great imagination. He's quite the charmer."

Castle and Beckett were both raising their eyebrows, looking at the girl who was giving them a smile and an unworried look.

"And you know that because..." Castle hinted.

"Oh, detective Ryan told me. I'm the babysitter. He told me about detective Beckett and I've read some of Mr. Castle's novels." she admitted "And Nathan told me. You have nothing to worry. I found him in the elevator playing with the buttons. I was told that if you're lost you should stay in the same place. So we sat here and waited for you."

Kate nudged Castle. "Open the door, Rick. Let's take this inside."

They all sat on the couch somewhat awkwardly.

Kate and Castle had forced Nathan into seating between the two of them in the couch while Lyra sat in one of the armchairs.

Nathan was squirming on his seat, trying to get rid of his parents hands that wouldn't let him move.

"Mommy! Daddy! Let go of me!" he whined.

"Nathan," the girl in front of them started in her most calming voice, looking solely at Nathan and completely ignoring both adults that seemed on the verge of a breakdown "have you ever lost your favorite stuffed animal?"

The little boy nodded.

"And when you found it the only thing you wanted was to hold him close because you missed it so bad and were so scared, right?"

Another nod.

"Well, that's how mommy and daddy are feeling right now. You have to let them hold you close, okay? Just like like you did with your favorite stuffed animal."

The boy nodded seriously and held both his parents' hands. Smiling the girl relaxed into the big armchair and looked at them. Her hair framing her face. Blue hair.

With the relief that their little boy was okay, neither of them noticed that the girl had locks of blue hair. The majority of her hair was a light brown, but she had some locks dyed blue. That was interesting. She should be about sixteen. Castle wondered how her parents had let her do something like that.

The girl was still looking at them, probably expecting them to start talking.

Castle looked closely at the girl and saw it. He immediately recognized the troublesome eyes. The smile that didn't quite reach them. The way that she carried herself. Like she was ready to flee at any sign of danger. Expecting something bad to happen.

The grey eyes that stared back at him, told him a story of a distraught girl that had seen more violence than an average teenage girl ever should.

"So, Lyra. Detective Ryan told me that you were a great babysitter. You babysat his son, am I right?"

"Yes. Jake. So smart. They're a lovely family. Very sweet too."

Kate quirked an eyebrow and gave Castle a pointed look.

"Did you had any other babysitting jobs besides Jake."

"Yes. Do you think a detective would let me watch over his child if I didn't gave him all my habilitation? I'm impressed how detective Ryan didn't run a background check on me." Lyra looked at the two quirked eyebrows looking at her and decided changing strategies "But to answer your question. I babysit since I was fifteen. Angela Candela, Mary White, Jerry Dickson, Hally O'Donald and Mary O'Donald- their twins -Mike Karpwoski, Kevin White- Mary White's little brother -Emily, Cecilia, Hugo and Mark- their two set of twins, I helped when things got a little out of hand -Lola Black and Jake Ryan. I babysit all this kids whenever they need me. Some of them I don't babysit anymore, because either they grew up, moved or the families decided that it was cheaper to ask the retired granny to watch over them. Sometimes that doesn't go so well." she took a deep breath and smiled.

"Did you said Angela Candela?" Kate asked, remembering the little girl that had been kidnapped by her own mother. There was no way they were talking about the same girl.

"And Mike Karpowski?" Castle questioned.

"Yes. Angela lives with her father. He's an artist and needs help with her. And Mike is an adorable little boy. I think her mother's a detective too. Yes. She worked at the 12th precinct before she got transferred. Do you know them."

"Yeah. You could say that."

Lyra turned her head to the writer. "Small world."

"Do you play with all those boys and girls?" All heads turned to Nathan.

"I do." she answered with a kind smile.

"But, if you play with all of them, how is you gonna get time to play with me?"

The girl smiled sweetly while the parents traded a surprised and a little amused look.

"Well, I'll fix time."

Nathan frowned in confusion.

"Time is broken?"

"No. I meant that I would save some of my time just for you. So we could play." she answered with a chuckle.

"Just for playing with me?!"

"Yes, just for you. If your daddy and mommy let me."

The little boy's eyes went wide while he got to his feet on the couch. He started bouncing up and down and looking from his dad, to his mom, back to his dad. Not quite knowing who or how to ask. He decided to turn to his dad, pulling his best puppy dog face, his blue eyes shining.

"Can Lyra came and play with me daddy. Can she? She's loads of fun. Like this much." the little boy extended his little arms as much as he could, obtaining a laugh from his parents.

The girl cleared her throat, making the little family look at her. A little notebook was extended in their direction.

"What's that?" Kate asked, eyeing the object.

"I know that my word is probably not enough for you to believe me. So, this is a notebook where I keep all the families I've ever babysat for. Phone numbers included. Their work phone numbers. I'm not giving personal information. You can call this numbers to check that what I said was true." seeing the hesitance in the detective's eyes, Lyra gently placed the notebook in the coffee table. "You can give it back to me. Any further questions?"

"Hmmm, what's your phone number, if we want to call you?" the girl gave them a bright smile, although Castle could see it didn't quite reach her eyes, and pointed to the green notebook with a dinosaur on the cover "It's there. I use that like a agenda."

She glanced at her watch and grimaced.

"Well, if you don't have any further questions I'm late. Jerry's dads are celebrating ten years together, so I'll go babysit him. Probably stay over if they come home a bit tipsy." the girl quickly shot up from the chair and offered her hand for the three on the couch to shake.

When they noticed it, Lyra was out the door in a flash of quick moves and blue hair.

"Did she said dads?" Rick questioned to nobody in particular.

**A/N:** I can't even start saying how sorry I am for the delay. I've written this chapter about six times. I'm not even kidding. Couldn't make it sound right. So I just have to say that I'm truly, truly sorry and I'll try make the chapters come quicker. I hope you enjoyed it...

So review?! Pretty please with a cherry on top?


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer:** These characters are property of Mr. Andrew W. Marlowe and the ABC studios. I'm disclaiming all. (Except Lyra. Lyra's all mine!)

"I don't know. I don't know." He huffed a breath and continued passing his living room.

"Rick." Kate tried again. Her voice calm and collected. She would make him see that this was the best for all of them. "I've called all the parents that Lyra has ever worked for, and they all confirm that she's competent and that the kids always have fun and learn new things with her. She's our best choice right now."

"How about the blue hair?!"

"Castle! You're just making up excuses now." Kate got up from the couch and rested both of her hands in both of Castle's shoulders, making him stay still and stop pacing. "She's our best choice! Besides, Nathan liked her. Do you rather have someone that your son likes babysitting him or some old lady that will sit in our couch and watch daytime television?!"

He squinted at her. Using her knowledge on his past against him wasn't a pretty thing, but it was necessary.

Castle was way behind on his writing schedule and she needed his help at the precinct. She thought better with him around.

"Okay. We can hire her. But I have one condition. She has to go on a probationary period?"

"What?!" Only her husband to come up with something like that.

"Yeah. The first times she babysits Nathan I'll be writing in my office. And it's good 'cause I'll be able to get my writing done and watch over her at the same time.

Kate rolled her eyes but nodded her agreement, receiving a peck on the lips and a winning smile.

She let go off his shoulders and got back to the couch shaking her head. Silly man.

The following day, Castle called Lyra and invited her back to the loft for an "interview". But really, he just wanted to question the girl to see if there was something in her that would harm his son.

Castle's doorman let Lyra up and after a short time she was knocking on his door with a tired expression, but still with a smile on her face. Her grey eyes ever stormier.

"Come on in." Castle invited.

"Thank for giving me this chance Mr. Castle. I'm sure you won't regret it."

He nodded and waited for her to sit down on the couch.

Lyra contradicting him without realizing, sat on an armchair and smiled at him.

"Where's the little charmer?"

"Nathan's taking a nap right now."

"Oh!" She looked down at her hands and then up again, right into his eyes "So, you can start with your interrogation. Shoot!"

Castle blinked a couple of times and smiled nervously, a bit of shame entering his lungs as he took a calming breath.

"It's an interview, not an interrogation." Lyra rolled her eyes.

"Sure it is." she responded in a tone that told him that she didn't believe him one single bit.

Castle coughed and straightened, gaining himself some time to load his minds with questions and to set his mouth ready to shoot.

"How old are you Lyra?"

"Sixteen." She answered calmly.

"When's your birthday?"

"January 9th."

. Same day has Kate's mom's murder. That was unexpected.

After that little piece of information had sunk in, he continued.

"Who do you live with?"

"Uncle Sam." she answered with an amused smile like she had just told a private joke that no one else understood but her.

"Do you have any health condition?"

She hesitated.

"No."

Castle quirked an eyebrow. She had hesitated and she didn't seem very sure of herself.

"No?"

"No, I don't have any physical health condition that disables me."

Interesting in deed.

"Good to know." He said with a smile "What do you use to do with the kids when the parents aren't home?"

"Oh, loads of stuff. Usually I play with them whatever game they feel like, but I'm also a tutor, so I help them with homework if they're old enough or help them prepare for an exam. With my littlest kids I usually have some activities that are good for their development, like play-doh and drawings, basically arts and crafts. I give special attention to reading. I read for them or teach them how to do it. I think that if you stimulate the kids imagination and mind you'll get a very bright young person able to accomplish amazing things."

Castle smiled. A true smile this time. He was starting to like this girl with the blue locks and the stormy eyes.

"Good answer." he said.

The girl smiled back.

"So when do I start."

"I didn't say you passed the test." Castle said quirked an eyebrow.

"Oh, but I did. So. Let me guess. You want to put me in a probation period to see if I'm good with kids and if I help or if I'm just gonna let them sit in front of the TV all day and then call my jock boyfriend to have sex in your house. It's completely understandable."

The girl locked at her watch and jumped off the chair.

"I'm late, I'm late. I'm so very late." she stated, making him remind the white rabbit from Alice in Wonderland.

She gave her hand for him to shake and after he did so, she turned around and in a quick step, that wasn't really running but could not be classified as walking either, she was by the front door opening it to leaving.

Castle shook his head and smiled.

"Mr. Castle." the girl called from the doorway "So you know. I don't have a jock boyfriend, so you don't have to worry about it, okay?!"

She smiled at his confused expression and with a little wave of her hand she finally closed the door and left.

Castle blinked. Well, this girl was certainly something else.

Kate picked up the phone the second time it rang.

"Beckett!" she answered as usual.

"Hello, beautiful."

She smiled at the warm voice of her husband.

"Hi, yourself."

"We're keeping her."

"What?" she asked confused.

"The babysitter. We're keeping her."

She smiled. She knew that he would come around.

"I hate to say this, but I told you so."

"Whatever." was his answered. She laughed at him. He got so cute when he pouted and right now she could hear the pout in his voice which was crazy, because really. You can't HEAR someone pouting, but she guessed that was what happened when you married the famous author Richard Castle. You started hearing pouts and smiles trough the phone and you start believing again in stupid things like fate and Santa and double rainbows.

"Can't wait to get home and gloat about it."

"Gloating his really unattractive, Kate." he teased back.

Her comeback was cut off by Esposito announcing that they got a clue in the case they were working.

"I've gotta go."

"Okay. See you later?"

"Yeah."

"Okay. Go kick ass. Love you."

Incredible how after all this time, his I love yous were still able to make her smile.

"Love you too."

And the line went dead, leaving her looking at Esposito that was wearing a mock disgusted face.

"Whatever." she huffed, sounding a bit like Castle. Ups! "Don't you have a M.E. to visit or something?!"

Espo just lifted an eyebrow and then he left, leaving her smiling like a silly woman.

Okay. Back to cop mode. She had a case to close.

Lyra walked into the orphanage where she lived, saying hi to the receptionist that, as always, didn't even bothered to look at her. She shook her head - same old, same old - and walked towards her room. Or better to the room that she shared with three other girls.

She threw her backpack carelessly to her bed and then, after checking if there were other girls snooping around, she opened the safe hidden on her night stand.

Taking her most precious possession from inside it, Lyra sat on the bed and opened it. A picture of herself with her sister stared back at her. It had been a while since she opened this. She went trough the different pages, looking at her family and at how good her life had been. That is until her family was a victim of a true bloodbath, only she and her sister survived it.

She reminded the reluctance in her parents when she said that she and her little sister would play with their front door neighbors. She remembered how, when she and her sister had come back to the house, everything was dyed blood red. She remembered how she made her sister stay outside, just to be safe. She remembered seeing both her parents dead in the living room, with blood still gushing out of their bodies and spreading trough the uneven floor.

She remembered how nothing else had been the same since then. She remembered how the great state of New York had separated her from her sister and how they still refused to tell her where her little sister's current location was.

But she would find out. She would because she promised and if there was something that her parents had thought her was that you never break your promises and that you always look out for your little sister. She could hear them telling her that; their voice echoing inside her head.

You take care of her Lyra, because she's your little sister and no matter what happens she is the most precious thing you have, like for her you're the most precious thing too. Stay together and be good for each because throughout your lives you'll need one another. You'll make each other stronger.

The thing is that right now she was alone. All alone, but that was okay, because she would find where her sister was and then she would find her and never let anything bad happen to her ever again.

Right now she was alone, yes. But she wouldn't be alone for very long.

I'm coming for you, sis!

**A/N: **Fun fact. Lyra is named after one of my favorite characters ever from a book called His Dark Materials by Phillip Pullman. It's actually a trilogy. They adapted the first book to the cinema and it's more known as The Golden Compass. They kinda murdered it, but the books are so, SO good! You should try them. Pure awesome for the ones that like the genre.

I'm just gonna go hide now 'cause usually I get bad reviews criticizing my grammar whenever I write a chapter for this one.

"If you have nothing nice to say then don't say nothing." But I'm all for improving by knowing your flaws so shoot. (Don't shoot literally though. Fire arms are dangerous -and SO COOL. Don't go shooting your neighbors or dogs or siblings or whatever. Thank you.)


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer:** Let's see. Nope I don't see the lovely Castle cast anywhere and wait! I don't even live in America. Oh, and I'm not a guy, so nope. I must not be Andrew W. Marlowe (that is the actual owner of the characters). Shame.

When Kate had told him she was pregnant he couldn't be happier. The idea of having a kid with her being the greatest thing ever. And a little boy nonetheless. He was ecstatic when he knew he was having a son. But right now, when said son was running around on his underwear and refusing to get dressed, the idea of a little boy didn't seem quite so appealing.

Alexis had been a calm kid. She was calm and not quite as loud as the three year old running around the apartment right now.

Man, little boys were complicated.

Castle managed to catch his squirming son when there was a knock on his front door.

Great!

"Nathan. You have to get dressed."

"NO! I'm Captain Underpants and Captain Underpants don't needs clothes."

Somehow, Nathan escaped his grip and quickly hid under his bed.

Castle huffed a breath and decided to go with another strategy.

"Fine. Whatever. But Lyra will be here soon and I bet she doesn't want to see you in your underwear."

The little boys head peeked from under the bed. Wide blue eyes staring at him.

"Lyra gonna play with me?"

"Not if you don't get dressed up, buddy."

It was amazing the quickness which the kid got out of under the bed and rushed to where his clothes were, trying to dress himself up.

"Go get Lyra, daddy. Mommy teach me how to dress."

"She thought you, hum?"

The little boy nodded and in fact he had already managed to get his pants on and was now pulling a shirt over his head.

Castle shook his head and went to get the door. What was it with this girl that amazed his kid so much.

When Nathan was born he knew immediately that the little boy had him wrapped around his finger and the same had happened with Alexis. Both of his kids could wrap anyone around their fingers. A cutesy smile here and a batting eyelash there and most people would turn into mush, but with this girl the situation seemed to be reversed. A smile and his kid was completely mesmerized.

Castle opened the door right when the girl was preparing to knock again.

She smiled at him.

"Good morning Mr. Castle. May I come in?"

He nodded and stepped aside, granting the girl access to his loft.

"Good morning." he greeted.

The girl looked at him head to toe and then frowned.

"You should drink some coffee. And maybe get a shower."

Castle gaped at her. What?!

"Has Nathan had his breakfast yet?"

"N-no."

She nodded. Why don't you go get a sower, Mr. Castle while I prepare Nathan's breakfast and make you some coffee."

"O-okay." she smiled and turned on her heels striding off towards his kitchen.

Okay then.

He turned around just in time to see his son running, as fast as he could to where Lyra was.

"Lyra." he shouted.

The girl turned around with a big smile and opened her arms. His son, so unlike him, run right into her arms.

"Hey little charmer. How are you this fine morning?"

"Fine." he answered with a big smile. "You came to play with me."

"Yes. Your daddy called me and asked if I wanted to come over and play. What do you think of the idea of me being your new babysitter?"

"Really?!"

"Yeah. So whenever your daddy and mommy need I come and play. Like today. Today I'm gonna play with you all morning."

"For real?"

She nodded with a smile.

Hmm. His kid was actually paying attention to what this girl said. He was listening for once.

Whatever superpowers this girl seemed to have over his kid sure worked.

His kid was in good hands. So Castle turned towards his room to get that shower.

Walking into the living room Castle didn't hear a thing. There was no kid running around and there was no pieces of flying food staining his floor.

Weird.

He quirked an eyebrow when the smell of fresh coffee reached his senses.

He started walking towards the kitchen to see his son thoroughly focused on something while a fresh cup of coffee rested on top of his counter.

Lyra peeked over Nathan's shoulder and gave him a smile nodding towards the coffee on the counter.

"What are you two doing?"

"A castle." Lyra simply responded.

He quirked his lips.

"How?"

Nathan turned his head, his eyes sparkling.

"Lyra's gonna teach me how to build a play doh castle and then we'll make soldiers and a princess and a king and a queen and a alligator to protect the castle."

"Sounds fun." and in fact it DID sound fun. "What did you eat for breakfast?" he asked eyeing the dishes that were already watched.

"Lyra made me a tower with toast. She said it was the tower of toast. She said that there's a tower or pizza, but it's not really made of pizza and then she made me the tower of toast and I ate it all."

"You did?"

"Yeah, daddy. It was yummy. Lyra said that next time she'll make me pancakes and I can chose how my pancakes are. She says she can do loads of stuff. Like Mickey and a rocket ship and a boat and a crown because I'm the king."

"I left some toast for you, Mr. Castle. Their in the microwave."

He nodded and watched as they turned their attention back to the castle.

Wow. His kid was still quiet. This girl was a miracle worker. The afternoon would be complicated when she left.

Castle took the toasts out of the microwave and sat in front of his coffee.

He eyed the food. How good could toast be?! He gave a bite and his eyes widened.

"Oh my God!" Lyra snapped her head to him. "This is the best toast ever! Awesome." she rewarded him with a smile and got back to their castle that was gaining shape by the minute.

Where had all that play doh come from, exactly?

Whatever. He was eating the best toast ever and sipping carefully his coffee that somehow was just how he liked it.

Man. This girl could cook breakfast like a champ.

"Daddy look." he turned his head to see Nathan showing proudly a little play doh doll.

"Great job buddy. That's awesome."

"Awesome." he repeated.

It was almost noon. Time for Lyra to go and as expected Nathan was putting a fight, clutching the girl for dear life.

"But I don't want you to go." he complained "I want you to stay and play more. And I want to build more stuff in play doh!"

"Nathan." Lyra began, her voice calm and soothing "Did you enjoy playing with me today? Did you have fun?"

The boy nodded his head "Loads of fun. Why can't you stay?" he whined.

"I can't, because there are other boys and girls that want to play with me too and you think it would be fair for them if I only played with you?"

He shook his head.

"What would you feel like if instead of coming back to play with you I stayed at other little boy or girl's house?! You wouldn't be very happy would you?"

"No." he grumbled.

"So I have to go to play with the others so I can come back to play with you. Besides, now you have a huge castle with loads of soldiers and a queen and king. We even made an alligator and a dragon. You can play with them. And tomorrow I'll come back, okay?"

He nodded, not seeming very happy and then - finally - he let go of her.

Lyra gave him a winning smile and then crouched down and hugged him, finishing with a peck on his cheek before she turned around and walked to the door, saying goodbye to Castle with a wave and a smile.

When the door closed behind her, Nathan rushed to the kitchen counter where a blue castle was build in play doh. He grabbed the little dolls that were supposed to be the king and queen and put them together on top of one of the towers.

Castle was surprised by the lack of tears, really. He expected screaming and a lot of tears. He did not expect his kid going down with only a little fight.

"See daddy!?" his kid called out, demanding his attention "You're the king and this is the queen. The queen is mommy. Lyra said I'm to young to be a king. That I'm a brave prince charming that slays dragons. I think being a prince is more fun, don't you think daddy?!" the kid looked at him with a serious look, or at least as serious as a toddler could get.

"Yes. And you can go to save princesses from witches too. And do awesome stuff."

"Lyra's not a princess." he stated matter of factly.

"Why not buddy?"

"She's more like a warrior. Or a hunter."

"A hunter?"

"Yeah. Remember how in Snow White the Hunter is the one that finds people? Lyra is looking for someone and she says she'll never give up. Like the Hunter. He never gave up, but then Snow White was so pretty and kind that he couldn't kill her. He was not a very nice hunter at the beginning. Lyra's a nice hunter."

Castle perked up. That was quite odd. And God knew that he just craved for a good mystery.

"Who is she looking for?"

"She didn't say. But she said that it's a very special person and that she misses that person very much."

That was... intriguing. He had to get to the bottom of that. But before he had lunch to cook and a son to play with.

"You wanna play castles with me daddy? You can slay a dragon and everything!"

He smiled at his son's enthusiasm and nodded, sitting near him.

Yeah. Son first. Mysterious babysitter after.

**A/N:** Woot. Another chapter done.

I defined a update schedule with the help of a lovely fellow fic writer - NinnaK.05 she's awesome, you should check out the stuff she writes - but back on point I will try to update every Tuesdays and Saturdays.

Hope you enjoyed and the typos and awkward verbs when Nathan speaks are on purpose.


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: **Andre W. Marlowe's. Not mine.

"Okay, but don't you think it's just a little bit strange?"

"No!" she answered sincerely, watching as a frown took over his face. She huffed a breath. Honestly, her husband was such a child sometimes "Castle, you realize that you are letting your imagination run away with you, right?! I mean, Nathan told you that the babysitter was looking for someone and you're already making it more than it is. Maybe she's just looking for an old friend. Anyway it doesn't concern you. The kid is allowed to live her own live. Let her be."

"But-" he started to whine.

"No buts. And don't whine. It's really unattractive."

"Yes, mommy." he mocked earning a smack on the shoulder and a glare.

Stupid man that was making her melt with his devious, adorable smile.

She shook her head at him.

He sighed. "Okay. I get it. Not my business. And it's probably nothing. Just my writer's imagination, right?!"

She nodded with a smile and then she kissed him. Patting his cheek she said "Good boy."

He laughed, like she wanted him too and then she got back to her paperwork.

"Now go home. You're distracting me, Mr. Castle."

"As you wish, majesty."

He bowed and then walked away.

A couple of minutes later when she lifted her head to see if he was in fact gone or just chatting with the guys she noticed a steaming cup of coffee sitting on her table.

How did he even-

She shook her head and smiled.

A coffee cup for a smile. He used to joke about it. When she wasn't feeling so well he would bring her a cup of steaming coffee and then with tender eyes and a sweet smile he would say Coffee for a smile?!

Wonderful, silly man. Always finding new ways to make her smile and for her to see magic in everything.

She smiled and drank her coffee, just like always.

Lyra knocked on the apartments front door expecting detective Ryan or Jenny to open it, but when the door finally opened she found herself face to face with Jake and a cute boy that must've been about her age.

"Lyra." Jake screamed enveloping her in a hug.

She snapped out of whatever it was that was keeping her attention in the older boy and turned to the little one.

"Hi Jake. How have you been? I missed my little detective."

"Really?!"

"Course!"

" 'Cause daddy says that now you play with Nathan too."

Lyra smiled sweetly. These little boys could be very possessive.

"That's true, but I can play with both of you. Maybe one day we could all play together!"

The little boy started jumping up and down.

"YES!" he screamed.

"Now lets go inside or are you going to leave me here to freeze to dead?!" she said faking a chill and rubbing her arms like if she really was cold.

The little boy's eyes widened and he took her hand to pull her inside, making her smile wide.

Adorable.

The other boy closed the door after them. She turned around to introduce herself. Not because he was cute, but because it was the most polite thing to do.

"Hi, I'm Lyra. I'm Jake's babysitter."

"Hello, I'm Damien. Jake's cousin." the boy introduced himself with the slightest Irish accent, all blue eyes and cutesy smiles.

"Hey, Lyra. I'm not a baby anymore, so you can't be my babysitter." Jake stated confidently.

"Okay, so I'm your kidsitter. How 'bout that?"

Jake seemed to think about it for a while and then he nodded, seeming satisfied.

"Pretty smart how you dealt with that." Damien stated with a smile.

"Thanks." she replied.

She was not flattered by this boy's words. Nope, not one bit.

She shook her head at herself. She was being ridiculous. Besides she had to keep her head in the game. Find her sister and put any distractions aside.

The boys that she babysat weren't a distraction, though. She needed money to put her master plan in order. She only had to find her sister first. These little adorable boys and girls were a mean to an end . So she decided to ignore the older boy and focus on the little one.

"Come on Jake. Your mom told me that you needed my help with your homework."

"But I want to play!" he whined.

"We do the homework real fast and then we play, okay?"

The kid nodded, grabbing her hand and pulling her to his room.

Damien followed.

This was going to be a long afternoon.

Castle adjusted his suit and made his tie a little loser around his neck so it wouldn't suffocate him. After all he couldn't attend a gala dead. Although it would be pretty awesome if a zombie burst trough the doors and started eating the brains of all those annoying people that for publicity purposes he had to talk to.

He huffed a breath.

He used to love this events. He always had a date to show around and save him from awkward conversations. And then when he left the single man life for Kate, he had Kate. Always there to make everything more... extraordinary.

But today Kate was working late at the precinct, covering for Esposito and Castle was going alone.

Alone without Kate in one of those little sexy cocktail dresses that just-

Ugh. Kate had ruined social invents for him.

He heard someone knocking on the door.

Okay. Lyra was already here to look after Nathan while he was gone. Everything was going according to the plan.

Well, it was Kate's plan. Kate had arranged everything, but whatever.

He heard the front door open and his heart stopped.

Please, not again.

"Hi, little charmer. How are you? Does your daddy know you are opening the door for him?"

Castle rushed into the living room to see Lyra holding Nathan in her arms, her bag thrown over her shoulder and the door safely closed behind her - Thank God!

They had to start locking that damn door.

"Hello, Mr. Castle."

The girl gave him a smile. And putted Nathan down, holding the kid by the hand.

Castle was still surprise by the fact that, when around this girl, his kid stayed put and didn't run away or started screaming.

"Hmmm, yeah. Hi Lyra. You're a bit early."

The girl looked at her watch and frowned.

"I'm afraid that you are a little bit late for your party, Mr. Castle."

He glanced at his watch.

Oh, shit!

Paula was going to kill him.

"You're right. I have to go."

He knelt down by his son and rested a hand on his shoulder.

"Daddy's gotta go. But don't worry, Lyra's gonna be here with you, okay?"

"I'm no worried, daddy. Lyra is awesome to me. She teaches lots of stuffs and she plays with me."

He nodded. After a last glance at Lyra that was still smiling he kissed his son on the forehead and, grabbing his keys and wallet, left.

The party was as he expected it to be, boring and laking the amazement it once held over him.

Another person approached him to make talk.

He smiled and shook the hand that the man held out for him.

"Hi. I'm Gary Jackland."

"Richard Castle." he said with his best fake smile.

"I know. My wife is a big fan and my daughter also enjoys your books. Not as much as my wife of course."

"Oh. How old his your daughter?"

"Twelve." the man answered with a proud smile. "She kept some of her older sister's books."

That was interesting. The man talked about his daughter's older sister with something like utter dislike, even hate.

Castle needed to figure it out. Something here just wasn't very right. Something in the way this guy talked. His posture.

"How old is your oldest, then?"

"Oh, no. She isn't my daughter. I adopted Leia a couple years back. The poor girl had been trough some very traumatic events. Both parents murdered."

"You didn't adopt her sister?"

"Of course not. She was way to old to be adopted. No one could tame a wild animal like that."

Castle gained an immediate dislike for the man.

"Oh, here." the man reached for his wallet and took out a photo. "This is her. Isn't she beautiful. Most precious thing I own."

This man was seriously getting to his nerves. You don't own a kid.

Nonetheless Castle looked at the photo of a girl that should be around twelve in a yellow summer dress. The girl was sitting by the pool looking at the camera.

The first thing that Castle noticed was the lack of a smile. The girl was simply staring at the camera. Stormy grey eyes staring back at him in pure sadness and stubborn dislike.

If a picture was worth a thousand words, this one described a girl kept by parents that only cared about the appearances. A girl trapped in a world that she didn't belong too or wanted to be a part of.

Castle was drawn to the girl's eyes. There was something strangely familiar in them.

"She's very pretty." he stated.

The man patted him on the shoulder. Hard. And then he left, leaving Castle trying to figure out why exactly those eyes seemed so damn familiar to him.

**A/N:** Sorry about those two first scenes, but I had to get that out of the way before I got to the real stuff.

1. I don't really know what to do with Damien, so help me figure that out?!

2. Yes, finally there's SOMETHING happening!

3. Don't you just hate when a character can't figure something out although it's so damn easy and then, because it's easy to figure out makes the character sound dumb and makes you want to slap your own forehead?!


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer:** I'm disclaim all.

Lyra was walking towards the orphanage when her phone went off in the front pocket of her jeans, startling her so bad that she jumped three feet in the air.

She knitted her eyebrows when the caller ID said it was the Ryans' house phone calling her. Jake was in school now and he had a familiar looking after him. Nowadays the Ryans' only called her when Jake needed help with his homework.

"Hello?"

"Hi. This is Damien. Jake's cousin. Ahh... my aunt and uncle left me looking after Jake here and he's a bit out of control. Anyway I didn't want to be bothering them, so do you think you could come over and ahhh, hmmm... help out?"

How cute. He sounded nervous.

"I guess."

"Oh, thank you so much. You saved my life." and then the line went dead.

O-kay. Kinda awkward, but whatever.

Lyra changed directions going for the subway that could lead her to the Ryans' house.

When she got there the place was a mess. Jake was running around with some gluey substance dripping from his shirt and hair. The couch cushions were all over the place. Literally. And somehow there was toilette paper everywhere.

"Oh, God!" she turned to Damien "What have you done?" she asked folding her arms and fixing him with a glare.

"Me?!" he asked, is tone slightly higher than normal "I've done nothing. The little bastard put the house like this. I was taking a nap."

"You were taking a nap while looking after a six-year-old boy?! Did you gave him sugar?"

"I might have given him some candy." he said flinching.

Lyra shook her head disapprovingly.

That's when Jake noticed her for the first time and came running right in her direction with his arms wide open, intending to hug her. Lyra arrested the kid's movements by placing a hand in his shoulder.

"Nuh-uh. I do not hug sticky boys. What did your cousin gave you to eat?"

The little boy started jumping up and down saying way too fast "We ate ice cream and gummy bears and a chocolate bar and I drank coke. It was soooooo bubbly and it had spikies that stung in my mouth. It was awesome and then I watched TV and Damien fell asleep."

Lyra tsked and gave Damien a glare.

"You made quite a mess. You are so owing me for this." she threatened and then with the hand that was still grabbing Jake's shoulder, she spun the little boy around and directed him towards the bathroom.

"You better start cleaning this mess up." she ordered over her shoulder.

When they got to the bathroom she ran a hand trough Jake's hair, her hand coming out dripping with a sticky white substance.

"Is this whipped cream?" she asked skeptically.

"Yeah! I wanted to make a hat out of whipped cream like in the movies." she tsked at him and grabbed a towel, starting to clean the mess in the boy's hair.

"You cannot do a hat out of whipped cream silly."

He nodded and was quiet for a while.

"Can I tell you a secret?" the boy whispered.

"Sure." she whispered back, playing along with him.

"Damien likes you."

Lyra stopped her movements and blinked a couple of times while the kid giggled.

"What?!"

"He likes you."

"Yeah. Like a friend. 'Cause I'm nice to him."

"No." Jake said giggling "He likes likes you. He says you're pretty and that he would like to kiss you."

"He said that to you?!"

The little boy nodded again still giggling.

"I'm sure he was kidding."

He had to be kidding. He simply had to, because he barely knew her. They had met just a couple of week back and she had seen him probably about six times. No more than that. You can't like like one person when you've only saw her a handful of times, right?!

She shook her head. What if he really liked her?! There had been a couple of guys claiming that they liked her and after a couple of weeks of her totally ignoring them, they had gotten over themselves and left her alone.

This boy liked her, because she was a new, sparkly thing that had just been presented to him and boys love new toys.

Well, she was nobody's toy and she was pretty darn sure that she would not lose her job over this boy.

"Come on, Jake. Lets get you a new T-shirt. Yours is all messy and sticky and I'm pretty sure that mommy and daddy won't like that very much." She said grabbing the kid by the hand and leading him to his room.

When Jake had changed into a new shirt with a rawring dinosaur in the front they went back to the living room where Damien had done some progress on the messiness of the place.

There was no sight of the toilette paper and he was now rearranging the couch pillows.

Jake was still bouncing up and down on his toes and trying to run around, but she had a firm hold on his hand.

She was kinda impressed by how fast Damien had been able to clean the place up.

"Nice job." she complimented. Only because she was nice and polite. There wasn't any other reason behind her compliment. Nope. Not at all.

Damien turned his blue eyes to her, smiling like a little boy that had just been complimented on his good work by his favorite teacher and was now receiving a golden star for his efforts.

"Thanks."

"DAMIEN! I want more candy!"

Damien straightened up and looked at Lyra nervously.

"I don't think that's such a hot idea, buddy." he affirmed trying to keep is tone calm and cool.

Jake knitted his eyebrows, turning his little face into a frown.

"You said that girls are hot. But I don't want a girl, I want a snack. You make no sense." the boy said shaking his head, his brown-ish hair swiveling.

Damien gaped at Jake while Lyra tried and mostly failed not to laugh at his face.

"Come on, Jake. I'll give you something to eat." she said, leaving the gaping older boy behind her and heading for the kitchen.

She helped the boy sit on a chair and warmed up a glass of milk for him and putted some honey on it, just like Jake liked.

She placed the glass of honey-milk in front of the boy and then reached for the cabinet above the sink, taking out some crackers for the boy to eat.

"Can't I have candy instead?"

"No."

"Why not?" he whined.

"Because it's bad for you and you had enough candy for today."

"I don't think it's fair."

"Well, once there was this boy and girl that got lost in the woods and after much walking they found a house made of candy. There was a door made of chocolate and the doorknob was made of caramel. The windows were made with crystallized sugar and the walls made of gummy bears all smashed up. And the boy and girl wanted so bad to eat all the candy. And they did and you know what happened to them?"

"No." the little boy answered, wide eyes looking at her in concentration.

"They got kidnapped by an evil witch. And the witch grabbed them and locked them in her candy house. And then she ate them. There was nothing left of them to be seen. She ate them all. Even the bones. If the boy and the girl weren't so greedy, they wouldn't be dead and in the belly of a wicked cannibal witch."

"Oh, no!" the boy exclaimed in horror "Really?"

Lyra smiled "'Course not, silly. They were very smart, that boy and that girl, and together they defeated the witch and freed every kid she had trapped in the basement and then they lived happily ever after."

"Oh, good. It was really bad if the witch ate the kids."

"But she almost did, Jake. If that boy and girl hadn't eaten all the candy, the witch wouldn't have caught them. So you can't eat so many candy, 'cause it's bad for you." she stated seriously.

The boy had been so distracted by her story that he had drank his milk and eaten his crackers without even realizing it.

"Look at that! You're all done eating." Lyra said excitedly, like that was the best thing ever.

"Can I watch TV now?"

"'Course."

The boy jumped off his chair, but before he went for the living room, he turned to her and asked "Lyra, what can keep the wicked witches away?"

"A dragon." she answered matter-of-factly like that was the most obvious thing ever "That's why I gave you that big dragon. So he can keep all the witches and other evil monsters away. Plus dragons are awesome." the boy nodded seemingly reassured, running to her and hugging her hard and then leaving for the living room.

When Lyra raised her head, she spotted Damien leaning against the doorjamb, looking at her with a wide goofy smile on his face.

She did not find that smile adorable. Nope. Not at all.

"A dragon, uh?" he asked, seeming amused.

"Dragon's are awesome. Do not question the awesomeness of dragons." she said seriously.

"I'm not." he reassured "What dragon were you talking about, by the way?"

"I gave him a stuffed dragon. A huge one, green and blue with a tail as long as my arm and teeny tiny wings. I thought it was pretty spectacular and also very good for cuddling."

He smiled at her.

"I can cuddle with you if you need some cuddling time. I'm great at cuddling."

Lyra rolled her eyes at that and went for the living room, brushing past him with not as much as a blink.

"Where are you going?" Damien asked rushing after her.

"Home. I've already helped you and unless you want Mr. and Mrs. Ryan to know that their nephew couldn't handle their six-year-old son for a couple of hours without a sitter's help, I should be going."

"Hmmm, okay."

Lyra passed the couch, and grabbed the backpack that she took everywhere, waving at Jake that was concentrated in the loony tunes - the coyote that she never remembered the name had managed to blow himself up again with ACME in another failed attempt to catch Bip-Bip - and went for the door.

She opened it to come face to face with Mr. and Mrs. Ryan.

Uh-oh!

"Detective Ryan! Mrs. Ryan! What a surprise!"

The couple looked at each other and then back at her.

"I could say the same, since this is our house." detective Ryan said.

She never thought she would say this, but thank God for Damien. The boy came behind her with a big smile on his face and hugged his uncle and aunt somehow moving them inside the house and Lyra outside while doing it.

"Aunt Jenny! Uncle Kevin! I'm so glad you're here. Jake behaved wonderfully all through the afternoon and we had a lot of fun. He's a bit tired though. And I invited Lyra, because I was having a bit of trouble with a small tantrum that Jake was throwing and I did not want to interrupt your lovely date, so I called my good friend Lyra and she came to my rescue. Isn't she great?!" he said putting an arm over my shoulders.

Seriously?! Very smooth, Damien!

She couldn't help but roll her eyes at that.

"Well, anyway, she should be going, right?!" he asked and Lyra was able to nod, although she was a bit dazed by the proximity and the quickness with which Damien was talking. "Right! Bye Lyra."

And with that he took the step that putted him inside the house and closed the door in Lyra's face.

Well, that was interesting.

Lyra shook her head, smiling a bit to herself. That boy was something else.

And then she turned on her heels and went to the orphanage.

**A/N:** Okay, I know I said that I had a schedule, but I'm on Christmas break and like the great Richard Castle said "You can't rush genius." (Let's just leave out the part where Gina responds: "Genius, Richard? Try blocking.") Plus I started reading The Fault In Our Stars by John Green which I finished in the space of two days and I'm still a little dazed and heartbroken, if you've read it, you know what I'm talking about.

Anyway, hope you enjoyed this chapter.


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer:** I do not own anything here!

Leia was sitting on a very fancy chair in a vary fancy table with her parents's very fancy friends, meaning that she was bored to dead and everyone around her was talking about boring stuff like economics and their tennis and golf practice.

The first three times she tried to make a run for it her "father" had place a glare on her that told her if she didn't stay put he would make her life miserable.

Good thing she was a rebel.

In the exact moment her father looked away to listen to some boring opinion about some opera, she successfully made a run for it.

She ran for the bathrooms that weren't too far from the table and provided a great excuse if she was caught. She was almost safe when she ran into someone's legs.

Oh, crap!

She bounced off and would've fell on the floor if the guy hadn't grabbed her shoulders with both hands and secured her.

"Oh, careful there. Are you okay?"

She looked up to see the blue, kind eyes and true smile on the man's face.

"Ahhh, yes. Thanks."

"Ei! Aren't you the daughter of that Jackland guy?"

"Yeah. I'm Leia. Who are you?"

"Richard Castle." he said stepping back and giving his hand for her to shake.

"Let me guess. You're a lawyer too."

Rick only cracked a smile like he was amused with her.

"Actually, I'm a writer. Your dad say you've read some of my stuff."

Her eyes grew wide "You're that Richard Castle?"

He nodded.

"Oh, wow. My sister loved your books and me too."

"Oh, yeah. Sorry about your sister. Your dad mentioned you were adopted."

"Yep. Mr. Jackass took me away from my sister and doesn't let me see her. I miss her."

And she did miss her big sister. The one that used to look after her all the time, put up with her tantrums and play with her. The same sister that kicked the bullies in their sorry ass.

And her Jackass of a dad didn't let her see Lyra. They had changed addresses three times and somehow Lyra was always able to find her. But the last time she was able to do so had been a year or so ago. And that was a long time without seeing your sister.

"I think that sucks and it's not very fair."

"I'm not worried, though. She always finds me."

"I bet she's a great sister."

"She really is."

"Okay. You have to go to the bathroom and I have to get back to the boring people."

The man made a little wave with his hand and gave her a smile and then he sidestepped her to leave.

For some reason that she couldn't get, Leia felt impelled to stop him. Maybe because she was bored. Maybe because this was probably the first person she didn't felt the need to make pretty and answer politely. Maybe it was that this guy felt real and not fake like everyone else in the dinning room table.

"Wait. Can't you just hang out with me for a while? I don't really need to go to the bathroom. I was just bored."

Rick turned around smiling and nodded his head, moving to the little couch just outside the bathroom - why the hell was there a couch outside a freaking bathroom? - and patted the sit beside his.

"I was bored too. This fancy people are just boring."

She cracked a smile and sat beside him, pulling her legs up on the couch. And even just that little gesture felt good, because with her father everything she did had to be practiced and posed and good girls do not put their legs up on couches.

"So, Leia. Your parents were fans of Star Wars or something?"

"Oh, big time. They just loved Star Wars. They met at the movies. They were both seeing Star Wars, so they thought it was a great name for a child. If I was a boy they would've called me Luke."

"That's awesome. My wife didn't let me name my son after any character."

"You have a son?"

"Oh, yeah. His name is Nathan. And I also have an older daughter named Alexis, but she's all grown up. My little one is four."

"He must be a lucky boy."

"Yeah, he's with the kid Whisperer."

Leia raised an eyebrow. Who?

"His babysitter. She is amazing with kids. You should see her. Actually I have a picture of both of them in my phone."

He pulled his iPhone out of his pocket and tapped a few buttons.

"Here." he said, showing her a picture of an adorable little boy, all brown hair a blue eyes with a irresistible smile posing to the camera like he was a superhero. And behind him, trying to hide a smile was her sister.

Leia's heart stopped and then began again faster.

Oh, God! It was her sister in the picture. She had found her!

Well, technically she didn't actually found her, but whatever! She had her sister in a picture. She knew where she was.

"That's my sister." and she could feel the tears of joy stinging her eyes.

"What?"

"That's my sister. You found her. Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you. Can you bring me to her? Please, Mr. Castle. I need to see her."

"I- I can't- Leia, I can't just grab you and take you. I have to get your father's permission, otherwise they'll accuse me of kidnapping."

Her heart sunk a bit in her chest. So close, yet so far away.

"Oh." she said, nodding her head slowly, the tears of joy being replaced by tears of desperation and sadness. "I understand. You can't help me."

"No, no. I didn't say that. I said I couldn't take you to her now. But I'll come up with something to bring you two back together."

Maybe there was still hope.

"Really?"

"Really. I cross my heart and hope to die." he said raising one of his hands and making a cross on top of the left side of his chest, where his heart would have been. And his face was so serious that he had to believe him.

In an impulsive move, she leapt forward and threw her arms around his neck, hugging him tight. Rick was stunned at once, but after the initial shock had passed he hugged her back and she could honestly say that in that precise moment she felt safe and she felt hope. Everything that this last year that she had spent sister-less had taken from her, she felt coming back again.

She felt more like a person and less like an object that man like Jackland jackass used to parade around.

"Thank you, Mr. Castle." she whispered "You're a really great huger."

He let her go and smiled.

"Why, thank you. That's very nice of you. Now we should be heading back, before someone gets suspicious and comes looking for us."

Her shinning smile fell a bit. She did not want to get back there.

"Don't worry. I'll make you sit by my side, so neither of us gets bored." he winked at her and both of them got up and moved back to where the boring people where finishing their dinner.

Rick somehow managed to move their sits so he was sitting next to her and could tell her his diabolical plan to get her sister and her back together.

She was really excited by it. It was simple and effective and no one would get hurt. It was a great plan.

So by the end of the dinner, when everyone was shaking hands and pretending that they were just so sad that they couldn't indulge in each other's company, Rick went to her father and praised him for raising such a great girl and praising his intelligence and what not.

It was just like her father had once told her - not her real father of course - 'Flattery will get you everywhere.'

And the best part of this plan was that the only thing she had to do was smile and bat her eyelashes.

"Like I was saying Mr. Jackland, you have such an amazing daughter and she told me she likes to read and I have this annual event where I read for kids at the New York public library. So, I was thinking that she could do the reading instead of me."

"In a charity event? With publicity?"

"If you prefer, we could cut the press and she would do it for the kids."

"No, no. The press is just fine. Okay, then. I don't see why not."

"Great." Castle said clasping his hands together, like if it was the universal gesture to close a deal. "But I think it would be better if she started practicing."

"Practicing?"

"Oh, yeah. We wouldn't want for her to get there and choke in front of the press or misspell a word, would we? I think she should come by the loft once a week or so. What do you think?"

"Hmmm, yeah. I think it wouldn't be a bad idea."

"Great. See you tomorrow, for our little practice." Rick said turning slightly to her, so her father wouldn't see him winking his eye at her.

Her father and Rick shook hands and then Rick turned around and left, leaving her smiling.

She would see her sister tomorrow. After an entire year she would really see her sister. And this time around, she would be the one finding her.

"What are you smiling about?"

"Nothing, daddy."

"Good girls don't smile at nothing." he reprimanded, making her roll her eyes.

Again with the good girl crap.

"I'm sorry daddy." she said anyway, because it wouldn't be pretty if she contradicted him and tomorrow she would finally see her sister again and not even jackass rich guys that used her like they used tailored suits and diamond cuffs and fancy silk ties could ruin that for her.

**A/N:** So, what d'ya think of Leia?


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: I hereby disclaim all.

Today she had a free afternoon with no kids to look after. It felt nice to just sit there in the park bench swinging her legs like a five-year-old and enjoying the view while sipping her hot chocolate.

It was rare for her to have time for herself. She was always either looking after someone or at school or studying.

Lyra got her legs up on the bench and hugged them while resting her chin on her knees.

She breathed in and then, slowly, she breathed out.

She closed her eyes enjoying the quiet and-

Her phone started ringing in her pocket. Lyra sighed, but picked it up.

"Hello?!"

"Hi, Lyra. It's Richard Castle."

And there it went her quiet afternoon.

"Oh, Mr. Castle. How are you?"

"I'm fine thanks. Look, I hate to interrupt whatever is that you're doing, but could you come over and look after Nathan for a couple of hours or so? It would really help."

"Sure. I'll be there in a hour."

"Thank you. You're the best. Bye."

And the line went dead.

Well, that was kinda weird but work was work and she didn't really mind taking care of Nathan.

Finishing her hot chocolate in one long sip and throwing the empty cup in the trash can, Lyra got up and started heading to the subway station that could lead her to the Castle's house.

She was halfway to the subway when someone grabbed her shoulder from behind.

Her body tensed and with a quick move, Lyra bend down rotating her leg in a circle, effectively throwing whomever was behind her to the ground. She straightened up again and placed a foot in her opponents' throat, her hands in fist and ready to attack.

"Wow, wow, wow! It's me."

"Damien?! What the heck?!"

She all but shouted at him.

"Yeah, I'm the one with your foot in my throat." he said tapping her leg. She frowned and took her foot off his throat, stepping back and letting her body relax.

Damien quickly got back to his feet and dusted off his clothes. When he looked back to her, his eyes were amazed and playful with an annoying smirk gracing his mouth.

He was amused. Unbelievable, this guy. Three seconds ago, she had her foot in his throat ready to crush his hyoid bone and then he just got up and smirked at her.

"How did you did that?"

"My dad had a degree in kicking ass. He thought me."

"Wow, that's awesome. You think he can teach me some stuff?"

She clenched her teeth and started walking.

He followed.

"Hey, wait up. So can your dad teach me this stuff?"

"No." she answered harshly, making him stop in his tracks.

Good. She did not wanted to have this conversation. Not now, not ever.

She kept walking.

She was almost in the subway when he caught up with her.

"Why not?"

Ugh! Why couldn't he just stop and leave her alone?!

She turned on her heels, coming face to face with him.

"Because he's dead. Now could you please leave me alone?!"

She turned back to the subway and hurriedly went down the stairs.

This time he didn't followed her.

She got to the Castle's and after passing the nice doorman she got in the elevator and pressed the button for the fourth floor.

Lyra leaned back against the wall and closed her eyes, trying to expel the vivid images of that day off of her mind. But she knew it was pointless. It would be engraved in her brain forever. The image of her dad and mom lying on the floor with their blood staining the floor. She could almost smell it. She looked down at her hands with the sudden urge of washing them. Scrubbing them clean of the blood of her parents that would taint them forever.

In a last effort to not make herself cry, Lyra bent her head back and blinked a couple of times. She thought about her sister and how she was so damn near close to finding her.

With the resolution to find her younger sister, she took a deep breath and got out of the lift as it arrived to the fourth floor. She walked down the hall and knocked three times on the wooden door.

A couple of seconds later the door was thrown open and the beaming face of her sister greeted her.

In a second, Leia had her arms thrown around her shoulders in a tight hug. She hugged her back just as tight, afraid that if she would let go, her sister would disappear into thin air.

She could feel her sister sobbing on her shoulder, so she hugged her a little tighter.

And suddenly her parents' murder was not such a heavy load on her back. Suddenly, she wasn't feeling so tired and drained.

"I found you this time." her sister whispered in her ear, quiet and a little breathless but there and oh God! her sister was really there with her and she was hugging her and right now there wasn't a thing in the world she would trade for the tight hug and the tear stains on her shirt.

After a while her sister stepped back, but kept a held on her hand and she was damn gratefully for it.

Mr. Castle was looking at them with the biggest smile, looking happy and proud of himself.

"I met Mr. Castle at a dinner and we were talking and he showed me a picture of his son and you and then, when I told him that you were my sister he came up with a plan to get us together. He called you the kid Whisperer." Leia told her, giggling.

Lyra's cheeks were hurting from smiling, but she didn't cared. She step forward and hugged Mr. Castle while still clutching her sister's hand in hers. There was no way she was going to let go of her hand for a while.

"Thank you." she whispered and stepped back. "This means a lot to me, Mr. Castle. I owe you."

"Oh, don't be silly. You don't owe me nothing."

"Exactly. If I don't owe nothing, then I owe something."

He blinked a couple of times and cocked his head to the side, scrunching up his face in concentration. Then he shook his head and smiled saying "I write for a living and you got me confused with words."

She laughed and Leia laughed and in that exact moment everything was good and perfect.

Castle was sitting on one of his bar stools in the kitchen, watching intently the girls sitting on the couch talking and smiling at each other.

Nathan was over at Jim's house for some grandpa time and Kate should be arriving at any moment now.

The door swung open and Kate entered the loft, looking exhausted. She was so tired that she missed the girls on the couch and went straight to him, kissing him on the lips, quick and chaste and sinking down on one of the barstools.

"You're really tired, aren't you?"

She threw him the nice-work-captain-obvious look and took the glass of wine from him, drinking it in a single sip.

"So, what did you do today?" he asked, perching his head on his hand while he observed her.

"Paperwork. And a lunatic made me chase him trough the park and into a lake."

"Are you okay?"

"I got my clothes all wet and had to change, but otherwise I'm just fine."

"You wanna know what I did today?"

She made a little noise in the back of her throat that he took as a yes.

"I brought our babysitter's long lost sister back to her, and joined a family again. Or at least what's left of it."

Kate straightened up in her chair and looked at him.

"What?"

"Yeah, they're in the living room."

Beckett's head turned around to see the two girls still talking and smiling happily. When she turned back to him, she had the sweetest smile on her face.

"What?" he asked.

"Sometimes I forget that I married the sweetest man alive." she stated quietly.

"Don't forget most ruggedly handsome." he teased with a smirk.

She huffed, but smiled.

"Don't push it, Castle."

She looked back at the girls and then turned back to him, kissing him on the cheek and saying "You did good, Castle."

He smiled at her and looked over her shoulder to the girls that had their heads close to each other and where talking in whispered tones.

Yeah, he felt like he did good.

A/N: Never fear, my lovelies. This is not the end, although the end is near. I'm thinking of doing at least two more chapters of this little world I have going on here and then finishing it. What d'ya think?


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer:** Castle and its characters do not belong to me but to the very talented Andrew W. Marlowe and the ABC Studios.

When she finally leaves Mr. Castle's loft, she has the silliest smile on her face and the joy is practically bursting out of her chest. She feels like laughing and smiling and it's just ridiculous.

Jackland dropped by to pick up Leia about half hour ago and she decided that it was best if she didn't took any chances and waited a bit for him to leave. Just to be safe. The last thing on this earth she wanted was Jackland to find out that her sister had access to her again. He would disappear faster than a blink of an eye.

She smiled to herself and started down the street and towards the subway station.

She was smiling because they had a master plan to get her sister and her together forever. It was a good, solid plan that implied tricking Jackass and she absolutely loved it.

She reached the subway station and went down the stairs, heading home.

Well, no. Not exactly home. The orphanage had been everything but a home to her. And she knew she was being cheesy, and really that was so not her, but her home was wherever her sister was. Her little sister that she loved more than anything in the world.

But right now she had to reach the orphanage before curfew and have a good night of sleep, so in the morning she would be ready to face the world again.

He's sitting in the same park bench where he saw her yesterday, hopping and praying that she would show up or pass by.

Yesterday when she had entered the subway and left him on the street, staring dumbfounded after her, he regretted not having followed her. He regretted it the minute the doors of the car slide shut and it started moving for its destination.

And now here he was. In the last place he had seen her, hoping upon hope that she would show up. Just like a puppy waiting obediently for its owner. He didn't even cared about it. He just wanted to say he was sorry and if she would like to go on a date with him.

Yeah, a date. The thought of it left his hands sweating and made him blink twice as much.

It had been a hour since he sat down with a hot chocolate in one hand and nervous eyes that surveyed the place every five seconds, looking for that flash of blue hair. Until he finally saw her. Exiting the subway and passing straight by him without even a look in his direction.

He felt somewhat discouraged.

He watched her go and saw her taking her phone out of her pocket and taping the screen a couple of times, putting the phone back in her pocket.

That's when he noticed the change of rhythm in her walk and how she bounced a little with each step.

Oh! She was listening to music. Maybe she hadn't really seen him sitting there.

With that he got up and chased after her. When he finally reached her he tapped her on the shoulder a stepped back quickly. He did not want to be thrown to the floor again.

She turned with the most beautiful smile on her face. A smile that turned her lips upward and filled her eyes with a bright happiness that transformed the stormy grey in brilliant silver.

Oh, wow. Stunning!

"Ah, hi... I- hmm..." and suddenly he turned into a blabbering idiot. Great.

Lyra took the earbuds from her ears and tapped on the screen of her phone, stopping the music and turning her full attention to him.

"Hi!" she said back. So bright and happy.

He'd seen her many sides. Amused Lyra, Sarcastic Lyra, Pissed off Lyra, Caring Lyra, but this was the first time he saw the full beaming Happy Lyra. It was beautiful.

"Hi."

"Hello, Damien." she said with an amused smile.

He stared at her, hands sweating and eyes blinking fast.

"Are you okay?" she asked, seeming concerned now "You look like you might throw up or something." she took a step back and he took an answering step forward, making her raise an eyebrow at him. She was back to amused now.

"Yeah, no. Just fine."

"Okay then. It was good to see you." she made a little wave with her hand and turned on her heels.

Damien head slapped himself.

Stupid, stupid, stupid.

He had to do something. Do something now or he would lose all his courage, not like he had a lot of it right now, but still.

"I'm sorry." he shouted after her. Effectively making her turn around and face him.

She started walking his way and he walked her way; met her halfway.

"You're sorry?" she asked raising an eyebrow and her eyes losing some of their happiness.

"Yeah. I'm sorry about your dad. I didn't knew and I didn't mean to hurt you. And I'm sorry he's gone. It sucks to not have a dad."

So many hours spent crafting the perfect apology speech and he was stuck with 'It sucks!'.

"Thanks. I think you're one of the first people who ever said they were sorry and actually meant it. And you're right. It sucks a great deal."

He nodded and smiled back.

"Walk with me?" she asked.

He nodded again, his smile growing.

He walked beside her in a comfortable silence that he was rather found of, but still he felt like he should be talking. Say something more.

"Can I ask what happened to your dad?" and the stupidest thing he could say left his mouth. He really should have just kept his mouth shut.

She looked at him with pained eyes and a dark look took over her face. And suddenly he could tell she was not there anymore, but somewhere else entirely. Somewhere that definitely was not very a pleasant place for her.

"You don't have to tell me. It was stupid of me to ask." he shook his head vehemently and buried his hands in his pockets feeling the little object that he had kept there for safety. The little thing he got for her as a peace offering.

He took it out and flipped it in his hands, inspecting it carefully. And then he grabbed her hand and placed the little object in it, folding her fingers again.

Lyra look at him with a questioning look and then very carefully she opened her hand, looking at the object and flipping it in her hands, and a soft smile slowly blossomed on her face.

She trusted her finger inside the key ring and let it dangle from her finger, so the little dragon attached to it was suspended in the air.

It was simple and he saw it when he was passing a store this morning and he just couldn't resist.

The little dragon was blue and white with safire eyes and his wings spread wide. It was adorable and simple and really, just a little thing that he thought she might like.

He was glad he was right.

The smile on her face was wide with her teeth showing and he could glimpse a little peek of her tongue from between them.

"Because dragons are awesome." he explained needlessly.

"Yeah, they are."

She grabbed his arm, making him stop dead in his tracks.

"I love it. Thank you, it was very sweet." and then she carefully pecked him on the cheek. And when he could see her face again, he could see the faintest of blushes adorning her cheeks and the way her eyes were so playful and happy.

Yeah, she liked it alright.

And suddenly all of her face changed to a set determination. The smile was still there, although a little less smiley and her eyes weren't as heavy as they had once been, but something had changed. She had her mind set on something.

"Do you have time?"

"For what?"

"I'm going to tell you a story."

His eyebrows knit in his forehead as he frowned in incomprehension.

"A story?" she nodded and moved to sit on the nearest bench, patting the sit beside her.

"I'm going to tell you the story of how my parents were murdered." she said calmly.

All in him froze as he stared in disbelieving shock. The word murdered echoing trough his head like a hammer hitting metal over and over again.

And then he moved and sat down beside her, waiting to hear Lyra's story.

She took a deep breath and glanced at the boy sitting next to her, patiently waiting to hear her. The boy that gave her a little key ring dragon, because she had mentioned once that dragons were awesome.

She smiled a little, thinking about it. Damien was the boy who listened and that was why she was going to tell him this story.

She looked back at her hands and the little blue dragon. She wasn't able to say this if she had to be looking at him.

She prepared herself and started telling the story.

"I was eleven when it happened, my sister was seven-"

"You have a sister?"

Oh, yeah. He didn't knew about Leia.

"Yeah. But don't interrupt me or I won't tell my story."

He nodded his head twice and made a gesture with his hand as if he was locking his mouth with a key and throwing it away.

She smiled a little and continued.

"As I was saying. I was eleven and my sister - Leia - was seven. We used to tease each other a lot, but it was only playing around, nothing serious. But our parents - William and Jane, he was a karate teacher and she was a doctor - got very annoyed and it was fun to see." she recalled "And this summer day we were on vacation. We had rented a house near this beautiful beach and we became fast friends with our neighbors that lived in front of us. So on this day that we couldn't go to the beach because dad was feeling sick and mom didn't want to take us. She was afraid of the water and me and Leia loved to swim, so she didn't take us that day, because she didn't want us to be in any sort of dangerous situation. Leia and I weren't very happy with it, so we asked to go play with the front door neighbors and they let us, although they didn't want us going alone, but they did because they trusted me to take care of my little sister."

She had to take a deep breath to calm down, she felt she could drown in it again. She really could if it weren't for her sister.

Damien placed one of his hands on top of hers and somehow the weight of his hand didn't help her drown, but kept her afloat. Gave her new strength.

She gave him a strained smile and continued.

"We ran late. We were supposed to be home half an hour ago, but we were having fun and lost track of time so we ran late half an hour. And I could tell that there was something wrong, because the window next to the door was broken and the door was wide open and my parents were both too careful to do that. Just for safety I made Leia hang back and I went in, calling for mom and dad. I found them in the living room. And it should have just happened because they weren't dead yet. Not yet."

She could feel the hot tears running down her face but made no move to stop them, knowing that it was pointless. They would just keep on coming.

Damien squeezed her hand tightly and scooted closer.

"I froze for about five minutes. I didn't do anything. I just stared at them dying and cried. The only thing that brought me back to action was my sister screaming to me and asking if she could come in now. Then I ran to the phone and called 911, but it was too late then. Five minuted too late. And when I realized that, I just broke down. Ran to them and hugged them. I can't quite remember the rest. I don't remember the paramedics arriving or anything else. The next thing I knew I was in an ambulance covered in blood and my sister was in a gurney next to me. She had passed out. Too much for her."

She sobbed and tried to stop. Just stop! Because hadn't she already cried enough?! But no, she hadn't, because now she had a gapping hole in her heart.

And now what?! What was she supposed to do?!

Damien tentatively placed his arm around her shoulder in a weird one-arm-hug that was actually comforting. It helped, so she let her head rest on his shoulder.

"The police said it was a robbery gone wrong, but there was nothing stolen. Nothing out of place. Just a lot of blood. And you know what's the worst part?! The worst part was that while my parents were being stabbed to dead I was having fun. Just playing like a normal kid and sometimes I wish that in real life there would be all that crap of sensing when your family is in distress, like in the movies. But real life sucks and apparently stuff doesn't quite work that way."

She breathed out slowly and dared to look at him. A quick glimpse that showed the tears trapped in his eyes. And she was so damn glad to find no pity in his blue eyes. So damn glad! There was a lot of sadness and even anger, but no pity.

"And then they placed us in an orphanage, because we didn't have any other family. It was not that bad for the first year, until my sister got adopted by this rich guy that was looking for a cute kid to show around and my sister was the best. She is adorable and well behaved and polite and he ruined her a little bit. He didn't adopt me though, and that was fine because I thought that she would be happy and that I still got to see her, but no. Jackass decided I was a bad influence and moved with my sister to another part of the town and I didn't knew where. I found her, eventually. And that's basically how we go. I find her. He finds that I found her and they move. And I begin searching again."

She looked up at him. Waiting.

Because he was a boy and she knew he would run, like every other single boy. But she had to tell him. She had to because he gave her a dragon.

"It sucks." he said choking on his words and making her laugh a little.

"It sucks." she agreed "But this time I have a plan to get my sister for good. And it's going to work."

"You found your sister again?"

"Yeah. Mr. Castle found her for me. One of those weird coincidences."

"I'm so happy for you and I'll be very happy to help you with your evil plan."

She smiled bright and wide, because he hadn't run. He was still here and he wanted to help and that was all that she could ask and more.

"Yeah, I would like that. And I think I know exactly what you can help with."

"It's a date!" he said with the silliest smile, making her laugh.

**A/N: **One more chapter to go! Hope you enjoyed this one.


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer:** Not mine. And seriously if it were I would use the Castle fandom to control the world and make Stana Katic win that damned pca award!

It had been about a month since she and her sister reconnected, a month since Jackland brought Leia weekly to the loft for a 'training session', a month of planing every thing to the minimal detail and to Leia looking meaningfully at Damien and then at her and back at the boy that always sat a little too close and smile a little too adoringly. One month of huffing at both of them and diverting their attention back to the plan.

And now it was time. It had arrived the day when they would put their plan to action and hope upon a star that everything went accordingly. If the odds where in their favor, by the end of the day Leia and she would never be separated again.

They all met at Mr. Castle's loft in the morning of the day when Leia was going to do the reading for children.

Damien and Leia were sitting on the either side of her and Mr. Castle was preparing Nathan's breakfast while listening to her going over the plan again and nodding along while he flipped pancakes.

When they seemed all have understood her clearly, she got up and left with Damien leaving her sister at the loft muttering something that sounded like a stupid song about birds and kissing on trees.

She shook her head and moved to the elevator, where Damien pressed the button eagerly.

"What are you?! Five?!" she huffed at him with a smile.

"Definitely not five." he assured her and then suddenly he was blinking a little faster and wiping his hands in his pants.

"Are you nervous about the plan? You got what you have to do? I know that is asking a lot but-"

"What?! I'm not nervous about the plan. Not at all, but I've got a thing to ask you."

"What?" she asked calmly stepping out of the elevator as it reached the lobby, she passed by Mars waiving her hand and giving him a smile.

"Would you- I mean, do you- Ah, Do you wanna-"

"Yes."

"Yes?! You didn't even knew what I was going to ask!" he said in an high pitched voice.

"Weren't you asking me out? Oh, I'm sorry I'll withdraw my yes back and let you go under the torturous process of asking me out."

"No, no. Your yes is good. I like your yes, and I was asking you out." She smiled and bumped his shoulder as they walked down the street.

"Okay. Where are you taking me?"

"It's a surprise."

"I don't know how to feel about that." Lyra stated, furrowing her eyebrows.

Damien gave her a smile.

"Feel excited."

"I'll try to." she teased lightly "Now focus on the plan. If this goes south there won't be any going out."

"Yes, m'am. Focus and sharp, like a bullet." he teased back with one of those dopey smiles that lighted his eyes and stupidly made her toes curl.

Jackland was standing near the podium hearing his daughter read Peter Pan to a room full of annoying children. Mr. Castle was standing next to him while he pointed out how good his daughter was doing.

Castle nodded and after a while, exactly when his clock strikes two thirty p.m., he excused himself and disappeared.

Damien was watching the events from outside the section where Leia was reading to the kids. This was his cue.

He zipped his biker's jacket and grabbed the package that he had placed on the floor. He quietly moved towards Jackland.

"Hi, I have a delivery for a Mr. Rick Castle. They told me he would be here. Is it you, sir?"

Jackland looked at him with a despiteful look and shook his head.

"No, but I'm sure he should be arriving any minute. Now could you please let me hear my daughter read?"

"I'm sorry, sir. But I'm already running late, if you could just sign this and I'll leave you alone. You can then give Mr. Castle his package."

"Can you shut up?!"

Damien clenched his teeth. He was glad they were getting Leia away from this dushbag.

"Please, sir. You just have to sign and I'll be out of your hair."

"I said-"

"Come on, dude. I'm running late. Just sign the damn thing. You're distracting the kids from your daughter's reading." he pressed, trying a different approach.

"If that will get you to shut up and go away, I'll sign the damn thing."

"Great."

Damien passed a pen to the man and made him sign the pages that Mr. Castle had wrote himself.

"Thanks, dude. See you never, I hope." and he left, leaving Jackland behind with a package full of air.

His part was done and Lyra was waiting for him outside the library with a nervous expression and worried eyes.

"So?!" she urged him on.

He made a serious expression, like it had gone badly.

"It was awesome." he said smiling suddenly and making her swat his chest with a relieved smile.

"You idiot! You almost gave a heart attack!"

He laughed and passed the papers to her waiting hands. She quickly looked at Jackland's signature and putted the papers in the correct order. A slow winning smile taking over her face.

"Damien, I think we just nailed this son of a bitch."

"And all thanks to?"

"Me, my genius plan and Mr. Castle's writing?!"

"Hey, now."

"And you. You did great." she kissed him on the cheek making that dopey smile fall back in place.

Leia rushed out of New York's Public Library with her father on her heels.

Ugh, the man never left her alone.

But that was okay, because leaning against the wall was her sister and Damien. She smiled and ran to them without a moment of hesitation.

Jackland walked out the door and glanced around looking for her. When they finally found her and realized who she was with his eyes got wide in surprise and an angry expression took over his face.

"What the hell do you think you're doing, missy? You are not allowed to see this person. Come home immediately."

"I don't think so, Mr. Jackland. You see, I can see my sister whenever I please."

His face turned hot red and he stalked towards them.

"Not so fast, jackass!"

Lyra stepped in front of her sister. She took the papers out of a folder and waved them in front of Jackland's face.

"You see these? These say that you can't prohibit me of seeing my sister. These also say that when I turn twenty-one I'll have full custody of Leia. Oh, and these are also your divorce papers. Your wife wanted a way out and I found one." she smiled sweetly at him.

"What are you talking about?"

"Oh, let me introduce to you my very good friend Damien. I believe you just received a package and signed some papers that came with it. Yeah, they weren't just those normal protocol papers. That means that I screwed you!" she laughed at him.

"I'm going to explain to you how this is going to go. Your wife will divorce you, but don't worry, the pension you have to pay won't be to high, although she does get the house. The house where my sister will be living in with your wife, because she's actually a nice person while you're just rotten inside. And then when I turn twenty-one I'll take full custody of my sister and we'll live happily ever after while you can crawl back to the hole from where you came from."

"You stupid kids. I'm going to sue you. I'm going to get Leia back and all that's mine and I'll make sure you're going to be crushed, Lyra."

"Well, I'm sure that would be good publicity for your company. I can already see the headlines 'Big-shot Jackass gets tricked by a couple of kids'. I'm sure it's gonna be a real block-buster." she spitted sarcastically.

Jackland clenched his teeth.

"Just walk away, Jackland and nothing of this will get to the press or harm your life. Just walk away."

And he did. Leia knew that he would probably try something, sooner or late, but right now, she was so damn happy, because her sister was with her and this time she would be with her for good.

"So, about that date..." Damien started with a smile, making her sister swat his chest and laugh.

"You guys going on a date?" she asked eagerly and then she turned a serious look on Damien "Do I need to sit you down and have a talk with you about your intentions?" she asked, brow raise, head tilted and both hands on her hips.

Damien choked on a laugh and Lyra laughed and gave her a side hug.

She smiled and laughed with them.

_Kate sat on the couch with a wine glass in one hand and her head resting on the back of the couch.

"Explain to me again why can't we have a nice dinner out and call our babysitter?"

Castle sat next to her with his own wine glass in hand and a soft smile on his face.

"She's on a date with Ryan's nephew."

"Really?"

Castle nodded his head with a smile.

That man always had a smile for her. Made her smile back.

"I hope it goes well."

"Me too." he agrees "She deserves it after all she has been trough. Poor girl."

Kate nodded. Poor girl, ripped of her innocence so much earlier than she had been.

"How did that wonder plan of yours went, exactly?" she asked suddenly.

"Not my plan. Lyra's. That kid is smart." he stated seeming impressed. "But it went well. Better than well, actually. Leia is living with Jackland's wife, Violet, and they are now divorced. The poor woman was trapped in a loveless marriage for years now. Anyway, Violet is just Leia's foster family and she also fostered Lyra, so they are now living together. And when Lyra turns twenty-one she'll have full custody of Leia. Oh, and of course, Damien is head over heels for our blue haired babysitter, so."

Kate smiled and nodded, feeling her eyes getting heavier and heavier.

"I hope she doesn't end up at the precinct, though."

Kate's eyes shot up at that statement.

"What?"

"Well, both her parents were murdered and they never caught the killer. They asigned it to robbery gone wrong and that was that."

"I agree. It's not an healthy obsession." she said, her eyes feeling heavier and heavier by the minute.

And it ended like it had began. With Nathan fast asleep upstairs and Rick carrying her to their bedroom.

_**A/N: **And it is done, my lovelies. This, sadly, is the very last chapter. And it has been lovely. I loved writing it and I hope you liked reading it.

Until next time.


End file.
